Non-inflammable cellulose compound



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM GODSON LINDSAY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE CELLU- IIOIID COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

, NON-INFLAMMABLE CELLULOSE COMPOUND.

Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

No Drawing. Original application filed September 10, 1912, Serial No. 719,543. Patent No. 1,199,799, dated October 3, 1 916. Divided and this application filed September 1, 1916. Serial No. 118,003.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GoDsoN LINDSAY, a citizen of the, United States, residin and tate of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non- InflammableCellulose Compounds, of which the following is a full,'clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to a new composition of matter which in non-inflammable, and which possesses permanently great strength and tenacity, and can be used as a substitute for nitro-cellulose compositions such as celluloid and similar substances, and also to the process of making the same. The present application is a division of my application No. 719,543, filed September 10, 1912.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to substituteacetyl cellulose for nitro-cellulose for the purpose of obtaining a non-inflammable material having the properties of celluloid, but so far as am aware prior to my invention such compounds have been unsuccessful.

forms of such compounds.

I have discovered that tricresylphosphate and certain other substances can be combined with acetyl cellulose to produce a non-inflammable compound having great strength and tenacity, and other valuable properties, and the present invention is designed to point out to the operator a practical method of using of combining these two substances in making films and other So far as I lmow, I am the first, not only to use tricresylphosphate with acetyl cellulose, but I am also the first to discover the method of making a useful product or compound'containing acetyl cellulose and tricresylphosspecified equivalent) Th'e amount-of'triat Newark, in the county of Essex portions because they may be diminished orincreased as'desired.

The degree of strength and tenacity of the product will depend upon the variety of acetyl cellulose employed in solution or in combination or mixture as the basic ingredient; but the addition of tricresylphosphate increase both the stren h and tenacity and also insures non-in ammability. This increase in strength and tenacity may, as I'have found by experiment, be secured in greater or less degree by substances which are to a large extent equivalents of tricresylphosphate, such as diphenylamin, trichlorphenol, triphenylphosphate, and, to a lesser extent, phenolsalicylate; Again, as indicated, I may use other menstrua or solvents than acetone, such for instance as chloroform, ethyl acetate or acetylene tetrachlorid, which, either alone or when two or more of them are mixed together, are capable of dissolving the a'cetyl cellulose in the presence of tricresylphosphate or other substances indicated above, I havealso found that it may be useful in some cases to use alcohols in the solvent mixture both for the purpose .of causing fluidity and for regulatlng the similar cellulose compositions, may be em- -ployed, provided the solvent is also a solvent of the tricresylphosphate or other substance used in place thereof.

A further advantage in employing'these solvent or menstrua substances in the caseof 1' nection. In place of dichlorhydrin I may use diacetic ether, benzoic ether, acetodichlorhydrin, or any slowly volatile solvent of acetyl cellulose which is capable of dissolving or liquefying tricresylphosphate, or its specified equivalent, in the presence of acetyl cellulose. By preference, however, I use dichlorhydrin,.for its action exemplifies in the highestpossible manner the combination principles referred to. a

The addition of 1. urea will insure permanency of strength and tenacity to the compound. The proportion of urea or equivalent substance will vary according'to the desired degree of stability of final product. A proportion of two parts urea to one hundred parts of the cellulose compound gives most excellent results; a less proportion is sufficient for ordinary purposes. I have obtained satisfactory results with a proportion of urea as low as one part to one hundred parts of the cellulose compound.

For certain purposes, it isadvantageous to make a. thorough mechanical mixture con-' taining the acetyl cellulose and tricresylphosphate, or equivalent substances, and subsequently add the solvent or liquid menstruum;

The product made in accordancewith my invention can be made in the form of films or thin sheets. Any approved method of forming films or thin sheets from a flowable 1 solution may be employed. It will be under stood, also, that the flowable solution forme as abovedescribed may be applied as a protecting surface, such a coating possessing also the property of being Waterproof. The

final product may also be made inthe form of amass of any desired thickness.v It will be obvious that suitable pigments or coloring matter may be added to the above mixture or solution to produce a. final product for use in imitating other substances, such as amber, ivory, horn, marble, or the like.

Where I employ the expression acetyl cellulose soluble in acetone in the claims, it is h to be understood that I mean such variety of acetyl cellulose which is freely soluble in acetone, and that this variety of acetylcellulose is substantially completely soluble in acetone.

Having thus described my invention I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A composition of matter containing .an acetyl cellulose and tricresylphosphate in admixture with a solvent common to both.

3. A composition of matter containing an acetyl cellulose and tricresylphosphate in admixture with dichlorhydrin and a solvent 0% said acetyl cellulose and tricresylphosp ate.

4:. A composition of matter containing an acetyl cellulose and tricresylphosphate in admixture with dichlorhydrin and acetone.

5. A composition of matter containing an acetyl cellulose soluble in acetone; and tricresylphosphate in admixture with dichlorhydrin and acetone. I

6. The process of making a composition of matter which consists in combining an acetyl cellulose and tricresylphosphate by the "use of dichlorhydrin and a solvent of said acetyl cellulose and tricresylphosphate.

7. The process of making a composition of matter which consists in combining an acetyl cellulose and tricresylphosphate by the use of dichlorhydrin and acetone.

8. A composition of matter containing an acetyl cellulose, tricresylphosphate and ureain admixture with a mutual solvent of said acetyl cellulose and tricresylphosphate.

9. The process of making a composition of matter which consists in combining an acetyl cellulose, tricresylphosphate and urea by the use of a mutual solvent of said acetyl'cellw' chlorhydrin and a solvent 'of saidacetyl cellulose and tricresylphosphate.

12. The process of making a composition of matter which consists in combining an acetyl cellulose, tricresylphosphate and urea bythe use of dichlorhydrin andva solvent of said acetyl cellulose andtricresylphosph'ate.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM GODSON LINDSAY. L

Witnesses;

Ensm GREENBERGER, C. GAINION. 

